à la carte

adverb or adjective

variants or less commonly a la carte
: according to a menu or list that prices items separately

Examples of à la carte in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The dining room’s a la carte menu features modern takes on both street food and classic dishes. Amy Drew Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 24 Feb. 2023 On the other side of the lounge, there’s another restaurant upstairs with an a la carte menu featuring things like omelets, steak, pasta dishes, and vegetarian curries prepared to order. Ramsey Qubein, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Feb. 2023 The Tusks are planning to add lunch service and an a la carte menu (right now there’s just the $360 tasting menu, with an optional $295 wine pairing). Tori Latham, Robb Report, 10 Jan. 2023 The kitchen is led by the young, handsome and talented chef Alessandro Buffolino, who has designed an a la carte menu that hits all the classics but also promises creativity and offers a fresh approach to traditional ingredients. Bridget Arsenault, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2023 An a la carte menu and other specials will also be offered. Dallas News, 9 Dec. 2022 At Damian, the menu is a la carte, but the restaurant continues the theme of sourcing the best components for each dish, while also looking across the Pacific to Japan for inspiration. Pat Saperstein, Variety, 26 Feb. 2023 The dinner menu will be a la carte and will have suggestions for wine pairings. Journal Sentinel, 17 Jan. 2023 While their current business model is a la carte, Gupta and Medina Jacobson are working on rolling out a holiday subscription, where customers can opt to automatically receive boxes every few months. Zareen Syed, chicagotribune.com, 25 Aug. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'à la carte.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French, by the bill of fare

First Known Use

1816, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of à la carte was in 1816

Dictionary Entries Near à la carte

Cite this Entry

“à la carte.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/%C3%A0%20la%20carte. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

à la carte

adverb or adjective
variants also a la carte
: with a separate price for each item on the menu or list
an à la carte dinner
Etymology

from French à la carte, literally "by the bill of fare"

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!